Alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT or Serpinal) is a protease inhibitor belonging to the serpin superfamily. It is generally known as serum trypsin inhibitor. Alpha 1-antitrypsin is also referred to as alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor (A1PI) because it inhibits a wide variety of proteases (Gettins PG. Chem Rev 102: 4751-804). It protects tissues from enzymes of inflammatory cells, especially neutrophil elastase, and has a reference range in blood of 1.5-3.5 gram/liter, but multi-fold elevated levels can occur upon acute inflammation (Kushner, Mackiewicz. Acute-phase glycoproteins: molecular biology, biochemistry and clinical applications (CRC Press). pp. 3-19). In the absence of AAT, neutrophil elastase is free to break down elastin, which contributes to the elasticity of the lungs, resulting in respiratory complications such as emphysema, or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) in adults and cirrhosis in adults or children. Individuals with mutations in one or both copies of the AAT gene can suffer from alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency, which presents as a risk of developing pulmonary emphysema or chronic liver disease due to greater than normal elastase activity in the lungs and liver.
In affected individuals, the deficiency in alpha-1 antitrypsin is a deficiency of wildtype, functional alpha-1 antitrypsin. However, in some cases that are relevant to the current invention, the individual is producing significant quantities of alpha-1 antitrypsin, but a proportion of the alpha-1 antitrypsin protein being produced is misfolded or contains mutations that compromise the functioning of the protein. In some cases, the individual is producing misfolded proteins which cannot be properly transported from the site of synthesis to the site of action within the body.
Liver disease resulting from alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency can be caused by such misfolded proteins. Mutant forms of alpha-1 antitypsin (e.g., the common PiZ variant, which harbors a glutamate to lysine mutation at position 342 (position 366 in pre-processed form)) are produced in liver cells (hepatocytes in the liver commonly produce a large amount of circulating AAT), and in the misfolded configuration, such forms are not readily transported out of the cells. This leads to a buildup of misfolded protein in the liver cells (hepatocytes, where those with the largest burden of mutant Z protein can suffer a cascade of intracellular damage that ultimately results in apoptosis; this chronic cycle of hepatocellular apoptosis and regeneration can lead to fibrosis and organ injury) and can cause one or more diseases or disorders of the liver including, but not limited to, chronic liver disease, liver inflammation, cirrhosis, liver fibrosis, and/or hepatocellular carcinoma.
There are currently few options for treating patients with liver disease associated with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and such options include hepatitis vaccination, supportive care, and avoidance of injurious agents (e.g., alcohol and NSAIDs), none of which provide a targeted therapy. Replacement of alpha-1 antitrypsin has no impact on liver disease in these patients but liver transplantation can be effective.
Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) agents possessing strand lengths of 25 to 35 nucleotides have been described as effective inhibitors of target gene expression in mammalian cells (Rossi et al., U.S. Patent Application Nos. 2005/0244858 and US 2005/0277610). dsRNA agents of such length are believed to be processed by the Dicer enzyme of the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway, leading such agents to be termed “Dicer substrate siRNA” (“DsiRNA”) agents. Additional modified structures of DsiRNA agents were previously described (Rossi et al., U.S. Patent Application No. 2007/0265220). Effective extended forms of Dicer substrates have also recently been described (Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 8,349,809 and US 2010/0173974).
Provided herein are improved nucleic acid agents that target α-1 antitrypsin. In particular, those targeting α-1 antitrypsin have been specifically exemplified.